Lost Sequel - The Truth
by by7the7sea
Summary: Future fic where Jedikiah's teenage son, Roger, asks about his father. What will John say? How much will John tell him?
1. Chapter 1 - The Request

Disclaimer: The Tomorrow People is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended. 

**xxx TTP xxx**

John arrived at the house Morgan lived in with her son. He knocked on the door and waited. He looked around the little suburb he had been to many times, but never quite took notice of it until now. It was a nice neighborhood and it was a beautiful day.

As his back was turned, Morgan answered the door.

"Hello, John."

He turned around and Morgan gave him a hug. She then ushered him into the house.

"Come on in. Roger is very anxious to see you."

"He is, is he? Why should this visit be any different from all my other ones?"

Morgan just shrugged.

"Roger, your visitor is here!" Morgan called up the stairs then turned to John, "I'll be in the office finalizing plans for tomorrow. Just give a shout if you need anything."

"Okay. Thanks, Morgan."

Soon a gangly teenager came running down the steps.

"Hi, John!" Roger said as he ran over to the man and gave him a hug.

"Hey there, Rog," John replied, returning the hug. "Excited for the party?"

Roger was turning 16 and John had been an integral part of his life for as long as the boy could remember.

"I sure am! Can't wait for it," the teenager replied.

"Good, it should be a blast. So, why am I here now? The party isn't until tomorrow."

"You had asked what you could do for me for my birthday and I've finally decided what I want."

"And what is that?"

"You said it could be anything, right?"

"Yep, within reason, you only turn 16 once."

"I want you to tell me about my father."

John had to take a moment to let the shock of the request wear off. He lowered his head.

"You're sure about this?"

Roger nodded eagerly. "Yes, positive!"

John had hoped this day would never come. He still wasn't sure what he would tell the boy.

~ "You should have warned me." ~ John sent to Morgan.

~ "About what?" ~ Morgan replied.

~ "He wants to know about his father." ~

~ "Oh!" ~

"Stop talking to my mom, John, it's rude."

"What? I wasn't ..."

"Yes, you were. I know that telepathy look when I see it."

"Okay, okay. You got me."

The kid may not have broken out ... yet, but he was well aware of who and what his Mom and John were. Morgan had thought about not telling Roger about The Tomorrow People, but, after a talk with Marla, decided it would be best to just be open about it from the start.

The only thing she kept from him was who exactly, in his life, was one. She figured that would be the safest option for everyone involved. They still lived under a threat of Jedikiah's enemies. As the years passed, the threat lessened, but Morgan was always on guard.

Of course, the kid, being Jedikiah's son, highly suspected who was and who wasn't. He was mostly right. He hadn't quite figured out if Astrid was a Tomorrow Person or not. Her closeness to Stephen and John made him think that she was. Then again, with others, he was sure she was not.

"You really want to know about your father?"

"Yes, I really do. I have bits and pieces of who he is, but I want the whole picture and my Mom said you were the best one to give it to me, so please!" Roger was almost on his knees begging the man to share what he knew.

"Okay, I'll tell you about him ..."

"Yes!"

"But not until next week."

"Awww, why then? Why not now?"

"Stop whining. It's because I don't want you to be distracted and a 16th Birthday is a pretty big distraction."

That was partially true. The other part, the biggest reason, is that John needed the time to prepare ... to figure out what exactly he would tell him.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

The next day, John attended Roger's 16th Birthday party. It was a small event with a few of Roger's closest friends and his family, which included Morgan (obviously), Stephen and Luca. Cara and Astrid also attended.

At one point during the party, John was standing against the wall just staring at Roger. He was hardly moving, so Stephen walked over to check on him.

"Hey, John, what's up?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's up."

"You haven't moved from this spot for a good five minutes now and you've been staring at the Birthday boy the whole time. What's going on?"

~ "He wants me to tell him about his father." ~ John sent to Stephen.

"Oh," Stephen grimaced then walked away.

~ "Good luck with that." ~ Stephen sent to John.

~ "Yeah, thanks." ~

John shook his head and told himself to forget about that for now and just enjoy the party, which he did ... for the most part.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

After the party, John continued to worry about what to tell the boy. Should he tell him the whole truth? Morgan told him he could do that. It's why she wanted him to talk to Roger, so he would know the truth.

~ "Hi, Marla. If you're not busy, could I talk to you tomorrow?" ~ John sent.

~ "Sure, I'm free around 2. Meet me at the noodle bar." ~

~ "See you then." ~

 **xxx TTP xxx**

Over the years, Marla had been a great help to John in how to deal with the boy. He consulted her most when little Roger was a toddler. Although once the boy reached a certain age, John wasn't needing her as much and could rely on his own experiences.

As he neared their meeting place, John worried that she wouldn't be able to help him. Then he started to think maybe he shouldn't involve her, but she was the only person he knew of that could offer any kind of advice for this situation.

John entered the building and froze. He was just about ready to turn around and leave, when Marla spotted him.

"John! Over here."

"Hello, Marla. It's good to see you, again."

"It's been awhile. I was starting to think you didn't need me any more," she teased.

"Me too, but something new has come up."

The waitress came over and took their order then left.

"What's going on?"

"It's Roger ..."

"I suspected that. He's usually the reason you call me."

John glanced around the restaurant before continuing. "He wants me to tell him about his father."

"Oh, hmmm ... you knew this day would come."

"Yes, and I've dreaded it from the moment Morgan asked me to be a part of the boy's life. How can I tell him about his father? I barely understand the man myself, but have come to terms with him. I don't know how any good can come from telling him anything about Jedikiah."

"The boy needs to know who his father was ... warts and all. It will help him grow."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, sons always need to know their father and it's best that they know the truth. It helps them become better men."

"But how?"

"By learning from him. Even in death, Jedikiah can teach his son. Just tell him the truth."

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Well, this is a difficult situation, but you will get through it. I'm sure of that."

"Yeah, I know I'll survive ... but will our relationship?"

Then it struck John. That was another aspect of this that he feared. He just hadn't realized it until saying it out loud.

"Will he still want me to be part of his life once he knows everything? Once he knows my part in it all? What I've done?"

Marla saw the fear in John's eyes. She reached across the table, held his hand and said, "That is in the distant past. Yes, he may initially run away from you, but, with how important you are to him, it shouldn't last long. He knows who you are now and that's what matters most. You are not the same person as you were then. He can even learn from your experience, if you share it with him."

John didn't respond.

"You can do this. I have faith in you."


	2. Chapter 2 - It Begins

**Author** **'** **s Note:** ~ "text" ~ indicates telepathy.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

A couple of days after Roger's 16th Birthday party, John met him at the Noodle Shop. John had decided to treat the boy to dinner and then take him to the place where it all began - the former Ultra headquarters. The building was still being used by the Tomorrow People, but it was more like a meeting place than somewhere they actually lived.

Over dinner, they engaged in some small talk. John asked Roger how school was going and if he felt any different now that he's 16. Roger had no complaints, but expressed a desire to learn to drive.

"Mom refuses to let me drive. I don't get it."

"Did she say why?"

"Oh, just some bullsh ... bull about it not being necessary. 'Public transportation is good enough around here, you don't need to drive.' It's a conspiracy!" The teenager proclaimed and then pouted.

John chuckled at the dramatics. "You know she's right ... and it has nothing to do with a conspiracy."

The waitress stopped at the table and cleared some of the empty plates then left the check. "No rush," she said, smiling at John as she walked away.

"Man, how do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Get all these women to notice you!"

"I have no idea, maybe it's my winning smile or my charm," the usually somber man teased.

"Well, it's got to be something!"

Roger gobbled down the last few bites of his meal then pushed his plate away. He sat there staring at John, waiting for the man to notice.

As John finished paying the check, he felt like he was being watched, which of course he was.

"What?"

"How much longer are you going to beat around the bush?"

John sighed.

"Not much longer. The only way I can tell you about your father is to tell you my story. It's the only perspective I have on the man."

Roger could hardly contain his excitement at the prospect of learning more about this man who was such an integral part of his life. He couldn't remember John ever saying anything about his past. If he asked about it, John would just tell him it's complicated and quickly change the subject. The only person he knew the least about, other than his father, was John.

John left the tip on the table and said, "Let's get out of here."

The teen practically jumped out of his seat and ran to follow John out the door.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

"This way," John said then led Roger to some less crowded back streets.

John walked purposefully with long strides. Roger, having had a good growth spurt, found it was easier to keep up with the tall man.

John finally stopped at an intersection. He stared at the building down the street.

"Jedikiah saved my life ... at least twice ... that I know of."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"That's not the whole story," John responded turning his attention back to the boy. "I grew up in the foster care system. Never had a home or a family. Ultra tracked me down soon after I broke out. I was trying to take care of my foster brothers, but was being careless and your father found me."

"What did you do?"

"I was a little bit younger than you and had just stolen some food when I came across this cool car. I couldn't resist taking it for a joyride. Well, that joyride ended up in a high speed police chase that put me on Ultra's radar."

"Cool!"

"No, not cool. It was dangerous and stupid. I'm lucky nobody got hurt."

"So the cops arrested you and then my father got you out of jail?"

"Not exactly. I teleported out of the car before they could arrest me."

"Ohhh, sneaky! So how did my father find you?"

"Ultra had many ways of tracking paranormals. They were monitoring the police chase and were able to track me back home. Jedikiah showed up shortly after. The man who was supposed to take care of us was punishing me because I tried to confront him about using the foster money for booze. He had pushed me against the wall and was coming at me with a knife when there was a knock at the door. It was Jedikiah. He gave my foster father an envelope full of money and took me right then and there."

"Wow, that was fast."

"Ultra didn't mess around."

John checked traffic and then led Roger across the street and down the road to the Refuge.

"Cool building. What is this?"

"This is Ultra ... well, used to be. It's now a safe haven for the people like me. What you see in here, you can't tell anyone, got it?"

Roger nodded enthusiastically.

~ "Stephen, we're here." ~ John sent.

~ "The rooms you requested are ready." ~

~ "Thank you." ~

"Who were you talking to?"

John sighed and shook his head. This kid always knew when someone was having a telepathic conversation.

"It was Stephen. I was just making sure everything was set."

 **xxx TTP xxx**

They entered what used to be Jedikiah's office. It has since been turned into a storage room. Some of it had been removed, so John could show Roger the space.

"This was your father's office. It doesn't look like much now, but it was pretty impressive back then."

Roger walked around as much as he could to get the feel of the place. He stopped by the far wall and stared at it then turned around to look at John.

"So this is where he worked?"

"Yep, his desk was right about where you're standing. The wall behind you used to be all windows. Whenever I was sent here, it always felt like going to the principal's office."

John walked over to where Roger was standing.

"Your father took me in and started training me. Soon, it was more than I could handle and I went back to my foster father, which ... didn't turn out so well."

"You went back to the guy who attacked you? Why?"

"I was young and scared and didn't know better. Things started happening that ... well, made my old life not seem so bad. That is, until my foster father insisted I had to go back and started beating me again. I tried to fight back with the little bit I had learned, but soon he overpowered me."

"What happened next?"

"Jedikiah showed up and killed him. He shot him."

"Woah, so he was like a hero then. Showing up and stopping the bad guy."

"At that time, yes."

John escorted the boy from the room.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

Their next stop was the training room. The only changes here was newer equipment had been installed. Today, though, it was closed to everybody else.

"This is the training room. It's where I honed my abilities and learned to use more than just my powers in any given situation. It's changed a bit since then, but still used for the same purpose."

Roger walked around the room, examining the various equipment.

"So what does this have to do with my father? I assume he wasn't showing you how to use your powers and, if he was in charge, I wouldn't think he'd be teaching you how to fight."

"True, but there were times he worked with me and another kid. He had us put in more work than the others because we were the youngest. As I progressed, I became ... let's say a little overconfident in my abilities."

"Oh? What did you do?"

"I ended up using my powers to protect one of my friends ... a human friend."

"Uh oh."

"Right. Of course Ultra found out about it and, not wanting to put the others through an interrogation, I stepped forward. Your Dad had a little talk with me and sent me to my room. Later that night, he came by, told me to grab my jacket and follow him. We got into one of the limos. I got scared when I saw two people in front instead of just the driver."

John took a deep breath.

"We were taken to a specific location then Jed rolled down the window and ordered me to watch."

Again John hesitated, but this time he walked away from Roger, wiping his eyes.

"And then what happened?" Roger stepped closer to John.

"The two men got out of the car and approached my friend. Just as I realized they were carrying guns, I tried to warn my friend, but Jed stopped me and forced me to watch ... to watch them kill my human friend."

Roger gasped. John finally turned around to face him.

"Rog, are you okay?" The boy looked like he was in shock.

"So they shot him? While you watched?"

"Yes."

"That's ... not so cool. How old were you?"

"Fourteen. I started yelling at Jedikiah and he told me that there were those above him that wanted that for me and he stopped them. He saved my life, again. I learned a horrible lesson that day, I learned not to show my powers to any humans, even friends."

Roger's life has been fairly protected so far, so he couldn't imagine watching someone die, let alone watching them get murdered right in front of him.

"Do you want to continue?"

"I ... yes, I do." Roger nodded.

"After the incident with my friend, I worked hard. I needed to make sure they, those above your father, wouldn't come after me again. I needed to prove Jedikiah was right to save me. A few years later, I became one of Ultra's best agents."


	3. Chapter 3 - The Ugly Truth

**xxx TTP xxx**

For the next part of this journey down memory lane, John took Roger to a remote part of the Refuge.

There were two areas of the Refuge that the Tomorrow People generally stayed away from - the interrogation rooms and this one. This part was almost untouched from the Ultra days, except for graffiti on the walls.

John led Roger into a small area with an old console and other equipment in it. Part of the room was occupied by a huge walk-in cooler, at least that is what it looked like to Roger. John stared at the cold, metal door for a moment. It had been almost 24 years since he was weaponized and it still sent a chill down his spine to be near it.

"This room is where they experimented on paranormals. It was part of a project designed to improve the species, so to speak. Jed's objective was to remove the Prime Barrier."

"Prime Barrier?"

John turned around.

"It's what keeps Tomorrow People from killing. Your father believed that if he could remove it, he would have the perfect soldier. Initial testing was catastrophic, only two subjects survived ... I ... was one of them."

"He forced you into a deadly experiment? I thought he cared about you."

"He didn't force me. I volunteered."

"You volunteered?"

"Yes, the program was voluntary. Your Dad did encourage me, though, because he believed I was an ideal candidate. I jumped at the chance because it would make me an even better agent."

Roger's eyes opened wide. "You? So, you can kill?"

John nodded. "It's not something I'm proud of. If I had known what it felt like to kill, the pain of taking a life, I never would have volunteered."

"What happened to the other one? Is he still out there somewhere?"

"No," John said and looked away. "He ... the procedure cooked him and he went crazy. Eventually, I was able to stop him."

"Stop him ... stop him?"

John nodded. "I tried to talk to him, but it didn't matter. He was too far gone."

"How many have you killed?"

John took a deep breath, avoiding Roger's question. Now he was getting to the worst part.

"After the procedure and making sure I would follow orders, Jedikiah gave me my next assignment ... to kill his brother."

John stared at the man's namesake to gauge his reaction.

"Are you okay?"

"His brother? My uncle? The man I'm named for? ... Wh ... why? Everything you have told me about him ... he was a good man."

"At the time, Jed said his brother had gone rogue and was attempting to destroy the company. That this needed to be done to keep everyone safe ... keep our secret safe."

"You didn't go through with it, though, right?"

The hopefulness in the boy's question tore John up. His only response was to hang his head and somberly stated, "I completed the mission."

The teenager backed away from the man he had looked up to for years.

For every step Roger took, John took a half step.

"There's more to it, as it always was with your father. It was part of a plan. Ultra was not the company they had founded. It had become something else entirely. The man running it, who was above your father, had a plan to get rid of all humans and Roger was a crucial part of that plan. Roger didn't have another way out."

"But ... how could you? You told me that he was there for you at one of your lowest points. He was your friend and mentor. How?"

"The only thing I can tell you is I was young and stupid. My drive to make your father proud of me over rode everything else. He gave me this mission and, being a good Ultra agent, I finished it. It has haunted me ever since. Even when he was able to bring Roger back, I still couldn't look at him because of what I'd done."

Roger still pulled away from him. John was afraid this might happen. It was part of the reason why he had avoided it for so long. John walked away from the boy and stopped in front of the metal door. He crossed his arms and stared at it for a moment before lowering his head.

"I'm not that person any more. Haven't been for a long time. That was the hardest lesson I ever had to learn and I live with that regret everyday. After that mission, I fled Ultra. I had to get away from this place."

The teen took a couple of steps toward John.

"I can kill, but I'm not a killer. Since the procedure was a success, I knew there was nothing else for me here ... that they would make me an assassin, so I left. And let me tell you, leaving Ultra was not easy. There are only two ways - without your powers or in a body bag. Somehow, I was able to escape ... now that I think about it, wouldn't be surprised if Jedikiah helped me in some way."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Ultra had a tight hold on all of their agents. Still not sure how he could have, but he must have done something."

John turned around to face Roger. There was still some fear in his eyes, but he didn't run.

"Are you okay, Rog?"

The teen half nodded then said, "It's ... just not what I was expecting. A lot worse, in fact."

"Are we okay?"

"Uh, I don't know."

John took the hit in stride. He had prepared himself for just such a reaction.

"Do you want to go home? Stephen can take you back."

Roger shrugged.

"There is more to the story, so we can continue or you can leave. It's up to you."

Roger thought about it for a few more moments, then said, "I want to go home."

John nodded and sent for Stephen.

A couple of minutes later, Stephen walked into the room. John turned away as the pair left.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

Stephen tried to get Roger to talk about it, but he wouldn't say much. Before he left, Stephen had one more thing to say to the boy.

"Just remember, John is telling you about his past. He's not that person any more and hasn't been for a long time. He's still the guy who has cared about you for the past 15 years."

Just as the man was turning to leave, Morgan arrived home.

"Stephen? What are you doing here?"

"Just making sure your son got home safe and sound. See you, Morgan."

Stephen barely left the yard before Roger ran and hugged his Mom.

"What is it, baby? What happened?"


	4. Chapter 4 - Reconciling

**Author's Note:** ~ "text" ~ indicates telepathy; ~ . ~ . ~ indicates memory begins; ~ x ~ x ~ indicates memory ends.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

Roger didn't want to let go of Morgan, but finally she worked herself free and guided him to the living room. They sat on the couch and she was finally able to see that her boy had been crying.

Roger wiped his eyes and looked at his mother. "Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"A ... about John?"

"Baby, of course I did," Morgan responded gently. "How could I not?"

Roger shrugged.

"I've known John for a long time. He's a good man, in spite of what he's been through. Those experiences have made him strong."

"But ... but ... he killed my uncle, how can you forgive that?"

"Because life is complicated, even more so when your father is involved, and John's changed. I don't think he ever really understood what happened until later. All that happened before you were born. Think back to the John you knew before he told you this. What would you say about him?"

Roger took his time to respond.

"Well, a good man, who has always been there for me."

"And that hasn't changed because that is who he is now."

"I guess ..."

"Let him tell you the rest of his story. It's the only way you will understand him better and, in turn, get to know your father. Do you still want to know about him?"

"Not so sure about that now."

"Well, you've gotten this far, might as well learn the rest."

 **xxx TTP xxx**

John had remained in the room. It was his worst fear coming true. He had grown attached to the boy and tried to be there for him as much as he could.

He leaned against the cold metal door. He wanted to get away from it and this room, but he had lost the motivation. Maybe he belonged here, maybe he should have died here like all those others did so long ago.

John had no idea how much time had passed before Stephen showed up again.

"What are you doing, John? Go home."

"I am home ... or at least this is where I belong."

"No, it's not. He will get over it. Give him some time."

"I knew I shouldn't have told him," John said, shaking his head.

"You told him the truth, right?"

"Yes."

"He wanted to know and would have found out sometime. It's best he hear it from you. Now, go home."

John stared at Stephen for a couple of moments, wanting to argue the point, but realized the truth of the statement. John turned and teleported out.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

Instead of going home, like Stephen told him to, John needed to make a stop first.

~ "Marla, are you free?" ~

~ "Give me a minute." ~

~ "Just let me know when you're ready." ~

A couple of moments later, Marla opened the door.

"Sorry about that, John. My neighbor had stopped by and well, I'm glad you showed up," Marla said then smiled. "Come on in."

After offering him a drink, which he declined, they got settled in the living room. John sat on the couch. Marla sat in the chair next to it and turned her attention to her visitor.

"So what happened with Roger?"

John chuckled. "How do you always know?"

"Basically, over the past 14 years, it's the only reason you stop by. It's not hard to guess." Marla laughed.

"Fair enough."

"And? What's going on?"

"Well, he knows." John stared at Marla and the look in his eyes broke her heart.

"Oh."

John looked away.

"I never should have told him. He didn't need to know everything. I should have just stuck to the basics ..."

"Give him time. It was a shock, I'm sure. He just needs time to process it."

"You didn't see how he looked at me ... ran away from me. I never should have agreed to be a part of his life. What was I thinking?"

"John, stop it! You have always been there for him. You have been a positive influence and I'm sure he wouldn't be the good kid that he is, if you hadn't been there when Morgan needed you. That kid got his father's worst trait and it's not easy to keep that in check. Luckily, my boys avoided that bit of Price heritage, so they weren't as much work."

"Really? You're saying two boys were easier to raise than one?"

"When it's that one versus my two, yes."

They sat a few moments in silence.

"So ... what do I do now?"

"You let him come to you. Once he realizes that was in the past and you are still you, he'll come back."

 **xxx TTP xxx**

After talking to his Mom, Roger went to his room. It was his sanctuary when things got out of control. He never thought life could get this crazy though ... this upsetting.

John, the man who had helped raise him and had been there when he needed a male point of view, this man was a killer? And it wasn't just anybody he murdered, it was his uncle the man his mother named him after. How could he do that?

Roger grabbed the baseball that was on his desk, flopped onto the bed and started tossing the ball in the air. As he did this, he remembered the first time he got it.

~ . ~ . ~

Roger's 8th birthday and a friend had given him a baseball glove. He loved it and was so excited to try it out, except he didn't have a ball. How could his friend give him a glove and not the ball too?

John showed up the next day with a baseball. Roger grabbed the man by the hand and dragged him outside, insisting that they play catch.

"Woah, wait, I just brought the ball. All I know on the subject is you can't have a glove without a ball and that's it."

"What's to know. Just toss it to me. I'll catch it."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't because I'll catch it! You stand here."

Roger positioned John at one end of the yard, then ran to the other side.

"You're sure about this?"

"Just throw the ball already," Roger yelled then punched his glove and got into position.

It took a few practice throws before John was able to get it just right. Then they stayed out there until dark and his Mom insisted they come in. Of course, taking his Mom's side, John ran over and picked him up, swinging him around before setting him up on his shoulders to take him into the house.

~ x ~ x ~

Back in the present, Roger asked himself, _"Was that really the same man that could kill?"_


	5. Chapter 5 - The Rest of The Story

**Author's Note:** _Italicized text_ indicates thoughts

 **xxx TTP xxx**

A couple of days later, Morgan contacted John. Roger wanted to see him.

Morgan greeted John at the door then led him to the backyard, where Roger was challenging himself in different ways to catch the baseball. Each time he tossed it, he tried to make catching it as difficult as possible. Sometimes jumping as high as he could to catch it. Other times throwing it a few feet away and diving for the ball. John just stood by the back door.

"Go! Talk to him, John," Morgan said as she pushed him into the yard.

"Okay, okay. I'm going."

John wasn't sure if Roger didn't notice him or had changed his mind about seeing him.

"You wanted to see me?"

Roger turned around slowly and responded, "Yeah, I guess I do."

John noticed that the boy still had a hard time looking at him.

"I want you to finish the story," the teen said then tossed the ball over to John, who caught it easily. "What happened next?"

 **xxx TTP xxx**

The Lair was the next stop on this journey down memory lane. As soon as they landed, Roger was off exploring the fascinating space. John let the teen wander a bit before tracking him down in TIM's room.

"Welcome to the Lair. After my last assignment with Ultra, I ran and this is where I ran to. It was easy to hide down here until I figured out what to do next."

John walked around the room. After all these years, it hadn't changed much, just more barren with more cobwebs and dust.

"Actually, it was your uncle's last words that inspired me."

"What did he say?"

"He urged me to protect our people. After having done so many things in the name of Ultra, I had to rectify that. So I started working against them. Trying to find more of us and protecting them from the company Ultra had become. The ones I was able to save were brought down here. It was slow going. I was lucky to save maybe one every few months."

"How many ended up here?"

"Before finally bringing down Ultra?" John paused to remember then continued, "Around 20 of us."

"It must have been crowded."

"Not too bad, we managed."

"What was my father doing then?"

"He was overseeing the capture of Paranormals."

"So you were fighting against him?"

"Essentially, yes. He commanded a host of paranormal agents and even more human ones. It was a dangerous time for the Tomorrow People. I was able to avoid being captured for a good five or six years before I ran into him again."

"Oh?"

"This is around the time Stephen entered the picture. He showed up and your father recruited him to Ultra. Stephen actually agreed to it to find out more about his father and to work with us to help The Tomorrow People."

John took a moment and thought back to that time. Roger stepped closer to him.

"Within the span of a year I went from being one of the most powerful paranormals and leader of the Tomorrow People to losing all of that."

Roger's eyes widened with the realization. "You LOST your powers?"

"Briefly, yeah, but I'll get to that soon. Stephen showing up set it all in motion. The Founder had a way to power the machine and your father, in turn, had to speed up his plan of stopping him."

"How? If the Founder is one of you, how could a regular human like my Dad compete with him?"

"I wouldn't call your father a 'regular human', but that's a good question. He wasn't one of us, but most of his time was spent with paranormals. He dedicated his life to learning more about his brother, studying us. He was a brilliant man, who always had a plan. Sometimes it seemed his plans had plans."

John chuckled at the thought.

"Your uncle was a very powerful Tomorrow Person. In some ways, even more powerful than the Founder, but his downfall was his loyalty. He was loyal to the Founder until he realized the exact purpose of the machine. Unfortunately, it was too late. The Founder's plan was too far along for Roger to stop it by himself."

"What did he do?"

"He went to his brother," John stated simply as he looked at the kid. He looked away again before continuing. "Together they came up with a plan …"

John had to pause. After all these years, it still got to him. The hurt wasn't as strong, but it lingered. He collected his thoughts and turned to the teen.

"Once his brother told him with what the Founder intended to do, he worked even harder on his project to remove the Prime Barrier. Hmmm … that may be why so many ended up dying."

John stepped away from Roger, caught in a flood of memories. After a couple of minutes, he started walking again, keeping a slow but steady pace as he was talking.

"I've never been sure how far back their plan went … when exactly I became a part of it. They started grooming me for the program. Just subtle little things here and there. They trained me harder than the other recruits, always telling me that since I was the youngest, I had to work harder to prove myself. They tested me in ways that they didn't with the others."

John stopped near Roger, but didn't look at him, lost in thought.

"They say hindsight is 20/20 and it's true. Thinking back to that time, some things are clearer than ever."

"How so, John?"

"There has always been a duality with your father. Looking back now, I can see it more clearly. He always pushed me. Part of that was for their plan, but the other was because, I think, he tried to protect me by making me stronger … he really did care about me, loved me like a son. Unless that was the biggest con of all, but I've come to the point in my life where I want to believe it … him. I've struggled with that for a very long time. With everything he put me through, it was hard to believe he ever loved me."

"Anyways, back to the Founder. Jedikiah told Stephen that he wanted me to kill the Founder. When I met with him, he told me it was my destiny, that this was why he made it so I could kill. But it wasn't as simple as that. I'd only killed two people up to this point - Roger and Killian. I had no desire to relive that pain. Eventually, with some encouragement from Cara, I agreed to it."

"So you killed him, right?"

"No. We tried. We had worked with the Founder's daughter to break in and kill him, but failed … I failed," John replied and hung his head. "Someone else … paid the price."

John closed his eyes and fought against the memories of Cassie that, even after so much time had passed, still threatened to overwhelm him. The killing always haunted him.

"Oh." Roger sensed John struggling. "If you didn't kill him, then how was he taken out?"

"Stephen. Stephen's the hero of this story. The Founder, realizing Jedikiah was the one who sent us to kill him, turned on him. Put a bounty on his head, so Jedikiah went into hiding. Stephen, having stayed with Ultra, was able to warn me about it. I found Jed protecting his brother's body. Things deteriorated quickly when Ultra showed up. We held off the first few agents, but knew more would be coming soon so had to act quickly."

"Hold on! He was protecting his brother's body? What?"

"It was all part of their plan. Roger was supposed to use his unique ability to preserve his consciousness, while Jedikiah took care of his body. The goal was to bring him back once the Machine had been destroyed."

"Did it work?"

"It did," John said then led Roger into the training room. "Your father and Marla were able to bring him back in this very room."

"So your'e telling me that my uncle was brought back to life? Was he … normal? I mean, was he the same as before?"

"Yes, he was fine," John replied, studying Roger.

"Oh, good," Roger quickly responded then thought " _The sci-fi I've been reading is lame, my family trumps all of it_ _._ "

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. I'm fine. Please continue. What happened next? You still haven't told me how you lost your powers."

"We're just getting there. Since Roger was brought back before the Machine had been destroyed, Stephen and his Dad set out to do that. I intervened. I couldn't let them risk it, Roger was too important. It was a good thing I did because it was a trap. The Founder tried to get me to tell him where Roger was. I refused, so he took my powers. One shot usually does it, but it took three before it worked on me. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life."

"Ouch! Then what did the Founder do?"

"He released me."

"Why would he do that?"

"He wanted me to deliver a message to Cara. After completing that mission, I was a bit lost as to what to do next and turned to the only human friend I had, Astrid. She helped me realize I wasn't, ironically [proper use of ironically?], powerless. I, actually both of us could still help in defeating the Founder."

"Wait a minute. Once the Founder took your powers, you were human, right?"

John nodded.

"So if the Machine worked, it would have killed you too?"

"Yes, it would have."

"Woah."

"Right, so once the Founder had your uncle and put him in the Machine, we had to act fast. Astrid and I went back to do whatever we could to help Stephen, Cara and Russell. Even your father showed up to help. Surprisingly, our only casualty was Roger."

"He died?"

John nodded.

"Dead, dead?"

"Yes, Jed couldn't save him this time."

The teen sighed. Even though he never met the man, he still felt a connection to him.

"It's getting late. I better get you back home before your Mom puts me on the Most Wanted list."

The pair walked back to the main meeting area of the Lair and John teleported them out.

 **xxx TTP xxx**

The journey back was quiet until they were about a block away. Then Roger broke the silence.

"So … you guys saved the world?"

"Kind of, but it was mostly Stephen. Stephen stopped the Founder "

"And everybody lived happily ever after, right?"

"Not quite. Things were good and quiet for a little bit before my world was turned upside down again. "

"What happened?"

"Your father tracked me down because he had something to show me. Turns out he had figured out how I could be a paranormal again and wanted to give me Roger's powers. It was a shocking development to say the least, but I hesitantly agreed to it."

Roger stopped on the porch and turned to John. "Well that's good, right?"

"Take a seat," John replied then sat down beside the teen. "If he had just restored my powers, yes, but there was more to it, as there usually is with your father. The part he failed to mention was wiping my memories."

"Why did he do that?"

"I had no idea that's what he had done until after he died. We had been working together on his new project and our relationship was very much like a father and son. Thinking back, though, he did seem overly concerned about where I was at all times and who I was with. He gave me a list of names and strict orders to stay away from them. They were all my former friends. The only way I was to contact them was if it was a recruiting mission with a team and very specific instructions on how it would be handled. We were just getting to the recruiting stage when he was killed."

"But why take your memories?"

"As he was dying he told me he didn't want to lose me and everything he did was to keep me with him. It was the only way he knew how to take back everything that he had done to me."

"Wow, that's messed up. "

"Over the years, I've realized he did want the best for me. Those times, when I didn't have my memory, are some of the fondest memories I have of your Dad. He truly was like a father to me, how it should have been from the beginning. And that's the sad part. It was just a mirage, because he had stripped me of who I was."

"I'm sorry, John. "

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Because of everything my Dad put you through. I think he'd change how things happened if he could. "

"Maybe," John replied, but he knew differently. He didn't want to crush the kid's optimism.

They both stood up and John took a few steps away before Roger stopped him.

"All my life, I've never been sure how exactly you fit into it," Roger said as he slowly approached John. "Mainly thought of you like an uncle, but now I know," the teen placed a hand on John's shoulder, "you're my brother," he pulled him into a hug, "… my much older brother."

"Hey!" John protested but returned the hug and smiled.

 **xxx THE END xxx**

 **Author's Note:** Sorry it took so long to finish this. I've had a big chunk of it written for a few weeks, but either didn't have time or inspiration to work on it. Thank you for sticking with it. This MAY be my last Tomorrow People story and that makes me sad. Although, I do have to say, this show and in particular John Young inspired many more stories from me than I ever thought I could write, so there's that. Looks like I will probably continue writing stories for Agents of SHIELD. What can I say? Luke Mitchell's characters inspire me. I do hope someday to write more for the Tomorrow People, but there are no guarantees.


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